Terrible news I have learned today:
Such a great man was killed yesterday.
A dirty scum, some son of a bitch
Cut his life’s thread to become rich.

The question’s who committed this crime?
Can’t understand, we can just cry.
All people mourn over his death,
There isn’t any indifference.

He was well-liked by everyone,
But someone dared to shoot him down.
Where are we going to? I ask.
It’s time to act, no time to bask.

​We’ve got to change our life, I know
(In our hearts there is a great woe
And it will not soon disappear),
I don’t want us to always fear.

Who needs the murders like this more?
We don’t want any innocent gore.
Life’s very dangerous today,
But none wants such a price to pay.

March ‘95, 6.03.97, 2.09.98

I. Poems
7. On the Death of Vlad Listyev